San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-01-06
THE MUNICIPAL PROBLEM.

order TO properly meet the demands
made upon 1t needs an enlargement OF
Its powers. The present city charter
does not convey TO the council such
powers ss Il practical experience In mu-
nicipsl affairs has demonstrated as nee
ess ,ry. In the very laudable attempt
to prevent the city from being bonded
for railroad debts, the charter has pre-
vented the council from Issuing bonds
for street improvements, sewers ana
other necessary things, vital to the
health and comfort OF our citizens. San
Antonio Is not the only city In Texas
that finds herself hsmpered by such re-
strictions, and she should not be the
very last TO free herself from such bur-
dpns. Galveston is in much the same
condition that this city is, and feeling
herself bound by existing charter regu-
lations, as established under present
| statutes, has taken steps TO correct TINS
defeat in her charter by legislative en-
aotment. This intention Of the city
council has been duly set forth in no.
tice that application will be made to the
next legislature Of the state OF Texas to
amend the charter In the seVaral
particulars specified in an ordinance.
This ordnance recites specifically the
changes desired. and among them we
call special attention 10 the following:
The said city shall have the power to
| hn,Io ~ ha aytanf af ontl million
two hundred and fifty thousand dollars
Isl, $50 ,OO0), of the denomination OF one
hundred dollars, or any multiple
thereof. payable at forty years after the
date Of their issue, bearing interest at
the rate not TO exceed i've per cent per
annum, payable semi annually The
NET proceeds of one million dollars OF
said bonds shall be used exclusively for
the establishment and construction Of
water works for the supply of fresh
water for the city of Galveston and its
citizens; the net proceeds OF two hum
dred thorsand dollars Of said bonds
shall be used for the construction "f Il
city hall. The Indebtedness provided
for this section shall not be governed or
limited by the provisions and limita.
tons contained in section one hundred
and thirty-two 1927 of this charter.
This proposed amendment speaks for
ITSELF San Antonio's city charter
should he amended SO as to empower
the issue of bonds for sewer construc-
Inn tho
amount necessary TO construct such
sewers aud maze such plaza and street
improvements as are demanded by the
health, business and pleasure require
mrnts Of the citizens. This amount the
wisdom of an intelligent municipal
county would readily determine, as also
the conditions under which they should
be issued aud to what extent from year
to year rs the work progressed. This
thing must BE- done sooner or later and
it is only question of how soon. 70
wait from year TO year is only to allow
other cities. less favOrably situated than
we are for drawing northern capital and
northern visitors, 10 gain such u lead in
this matter that We will be forever after
distanced In the race tor such capital
and population. Already the steady
stream of health seekers is being broken
into here and there, rs other cities
are making good their natural de-
ficiencies by intelligently directed i'm
provements. The city council here
could not possibly undertake any work
that would bring in such good returns,
to capitalists or laborers, rs such sys-
ten OF improvements as this city imper-
atively requires to keep her in the ranks
OF those Texas cities that are bidding
for the annual presence OF thousands of
health seekers. Without such improve
ments San Antonio will have to surren-
der her native place as the most desira-
BILE of all Texas health resorts; this is an
unquestiOned fact. Then why not do
now what must soon be done in any
event? By doing it now we save our
place as the leading health resort of
Texas. We give employment to hun
dreds OF idle laborers and distribute the
wealth of the city in all trade channels;
we stimulate capital, here and else
where, to make liberal investments and
permanent improvements; we increase
our comforts and cleanliness and health
fitness and diminish sickness and dis
count death. The incre 'sed expense
will be more than made up n the i'm
prOvement in business, in the in
crease of northern visitors who come
among us to spend their money freely,
and in the introduction OF new enter
prises, called out by the confidence in
the city's future which all solid munici
pal improvements engender 1t can
also ne shown that the CITY can afford to
sewer this city and pay the yearly inter-
est on the bonds out of the money saved
to the property holders every year IN
der the new order. Ofthis we will give
evidence tomorrow.
SOUTHERN iron Is being shipped north,
but the Pennsylvania iron trade is by no
means as dead as some sanguine haters
of the old iron region imagine. The Car